Neck Ring System and Glassware Forming Process

ABSTRACT

A glassware-forming neck ring system includes a neck ring assembly and a carrier assembly carrying the neck ring assembly. The neck ring assembly includes a neck ring guide having a first forming aperture therethrough around a vertical axis, and a neck ring divided along a longitudinal axis into neck ring sections carried by the neck ring guide and movable toward and away from one another along the neck ring guide along a lateral axis. The carrier assembly includes a carrier having a body with a second forming aperture therethrough, longitudinally opposite ends, laterally opposite sides between the ends, and a channel extending between the sides, restricting movement of the neck ring assembly along the vertical and longitudinal axes, and permitting movement of the neck ring assembly along the lateral axis.

The present disclosure is directed to glassware manufacturing and, moreparticularly, to neck rings and methods of transferring neck rings amongmanufacturing stations.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Glassware making machines typically employ invert arms for transferringneck ring assemblies between a blank station and a blow station. A neckring assembly may include opposed neck ring sections and a neck ringguide between the sections to keep the sections aligned during openingand closing of the sections. U.S. Pat. No. 7,353,667 discloses anexample of such a neck ring assembly.

A general object of the present disclosure, in accordance with oneaspect of the disclosure, is to provide a new neck ring design that mayreduce or eliminate the need for swabbing a neck ring with lubricant.

The present disclosure embodies a number of aspects that can beimplemented separately from or in combination with each other.

A glassware-forming neck ring system in accordance with one aspect ofthe disclosure includes a neck ring assembly and a carrier assemblycarrying the neck ring assembly. The neck ring assembly includes a neckring guide having a first forming aperture therethrough around avertical axis, and a neck ring divided along a longitudinal axis intoneck ring sections that are carried by the neck ring guide and that aremovable toward and away from one another along the neck ring guide alonga lateral axis. The carrier assembly includes a carrier having a bodywith a second forming aperture therethrough, longitudinally oppositeends, laterally opposite sides between the ends, and a channel extendingbetween the sides, restricting movement of the neck ring assembly alongthe vertical and longitudinal axes, and permitting movement of the neckring assembly along the lateral axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure, together with additional objects, features, advantagesand aspects thereof, will be best understood from the followingdescription, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a glassware-forming neck ring system inaccordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present disclosure,and illustrated in a closed position;

FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the glassware-forming neck ring systemof FIG. 1B and illustrated in an open position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of an interior of a portion of aneck ring section of the system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of an exterior of the portion ofthe neck ring section of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of a neck ring guideof the system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a carrier body of the systemof FIG. 1A;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged bottom perspective view of the system of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, top perspective view of the systemof FIG. 1A;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged end view of the system of FIG. 1A, with severalcomponents omitted for clarity;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a glassware-forming neck ring system inaccordance with another illustrative embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of a glassware-forming neck ringsystem in accordance with a further illustrative embodiment of thepresent disclosure, illustrated in a closed position;

FIG. 11 is a bottom perspective view of the system of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged top perspective view of the system of FIG. 10,but illustrated in an open position;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged, fragmentary, bottom view of the system of FIG.10, illustrated in a closed position; and

FIG. 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary, bottom view of the system of FIG.10, illustrated in an open position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate a neck ring system 10 that includes a neck ringassembly 12 carried by a carrier assembly 14. The neck ring system 10may be used to form glassware in a glassware-forming process. Theglassware may include bottles, jars, jugs, growlers, or any othersuitable containers. The system 10 may be used to carry an article ofglassware through an entire glassware forming process from blank moldingof a parison, to releasing a fully formed container on a dead plate oron any other suitable ware handler at a downstream end of the formingprocess. Accordingly, the system 10 may enable faster machine cycles andfacilitate neck ring changes for increased worker safety. Also, as willbe described in more detail below, the system 10 may be quickly andaccurately acquired and released by a material handler 16 (FIG. 1A), andthe neck ring assembly 12 may float along multiple axes with respect tothe carrier assembly 14 and the material handler 16. Accordingly,instead of repeated releasing and reacquiring of a glassware neckfinish, the system 10 enables continuous carrying of the glassware neckfinish and thus, may result in fewer finish defects.

With continuing reference to FIG. 1A, the neck ring assembly 12 includesa neck ring guide 18, and a neck ring 20 that may be divided along alongitudinal axis C into finish inserts or neck ring sections 20 a,bcarried by the neck ring guide 18 and movable toward and away from oneanother along the neck ring guide 18 along a lateral axis B. The neckring sections 20 a,b may include base portions 19 a,b and semi-circularupper portions 21 a,b carried by the base portions 19 a,b. The upperportions 21 a,b may be coupled to the base portions 19 a,b, asillustrated, with cap screws or any other suitable fasteners, or may becoupled thereto in any other suitable manner.

With respect to FIG. 1A, and as will be described in further detailbelow, the material handler 16 may be used to acquire, release, andreacquire the system 10. The material handler 16 may include a robotwith suitable end effectors, a pick and place machine, a continuouspowered belt with suitable interface tooling, or any other suitablematerial handler. For example, the material handler 16 may includelocators 22 and actuators 24 for interfacing with the system 10. Suchmaterial handlers are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art,and may include any suitable power supplies, controllers, motors,solenoids, sensors, and any other suitable material handler subsystems,components, accessories, and the like.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the neck ring base portions 19 a,b mayinclude: lower plate portions 26 a,b; upper plate portions 28 a,b spacedapart along a vertical axis A from the lower plate portion and carryingbosses 30 a,b; extensions 32 a,b extending vertically between the plateportions 26 a,b and 28 a,b; and laterally extending channels 34 a,b and35 a,b between the plate portions 26 a,b and 28 a,b.

With reference to FIG. 4, the guide 18 may include laterally extendingrunners 36, 38 longitudinally spaced apart from one another, and a hub37 extending between the runners 36, 38. The hub 37 may be circular orsemi-circular and includes a vertically extending through passage orfirst forming aperture 39 therethrough around the vertical axis A.Although not shown, the guide 18 also may carry a separate, fullycircumferential seal ring 37 a (FIG. 1B) coupled to the hub 37. Therunners 36, 38 may include axially opposed tangs 40 a-d extendinglongitudinally from free ends or distal portions of the runners 36, 38.The tangs 40 a-d may limit movement of the guide plate 18 along thelongitudinal axis C when the neck ring opens and closes. In one example,in assembly, the tangs 40 a-d may protrude about 5/32″ from the runners36, 38, with about 1/32″ spacing between the tangs 40 a-d and the baseportions 19 a,b, or according to any other suitable spacing. The tangs40 a-d also may guide corresponding surfaces 32 a, 32 b of the neck ringbase portions 19 a, 19 b when the neck ring opens and closes. Also, theguide 18 may include indentations 42, 44 in longitudinal ends 41, 43 ofthe runners 36, 38, as will be described in greater detail below.

With reference to FIG. 5, the carrier assembly 14 of FIG. 1A includes acarrier 46 having a body 48 with a second forming aperture 50therethrough, longitudinally opposite ends 52, 53, and laterallyopposite sides 54, 55 between the ends 52, 53. The body 48 also may havea channel open to and extending between the sides 54, 55, forrestricting movement of the neck ring assembly 12 along the vertical andlongitudinal axes A, C and permitting movement of the neck ring assembly12 (FIG. 1A) along the lateral axis B. The body 48 further may include abase surface 56 spaced below the neck ring assembly 12 (FIG. 1A)thereon, and longitudinal restraints 58, 59 which may include wallsextending along the vertical axis A away from the base surface 56 andalong the lateral axis B between the sides 54, 55. The channel may bebounded along the longitudinal axis C by the longitudinal restraints 58,59, and along the vertical axis A by vertical restraints 60, 61. Therestraints 60, 61 may be separate components, for instance, plates,brackets, rods, bars, or the like, that may be fastened or otherwisecoupled to the longitudinal restraints 58, 59 of the body 48, asillustrated, or that may be integral portions of the body 48. Shoulders62, 63 may extend between the base surface 56 and the longitudinalrestraints 58, 59 to trap portions of the neck ring guide 18 (FIG. 4)between the shoulders 62, 63 and the vertical restraints 60, 61 of thecarrier 46. The ends 52, 53 may include material handling locatorpockets 64, and the sides 54, 55 may include through bores 66, 67, 68,69.

With reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the carrier assembly 14 also includestransmissions 70, 71 movably carried at the sides 54, 55 of the carrierbody 48 to transmit actuation, for example, from actuators of a materialhandler (not shown), to the neck ring sections 20 a,b. The transmissions70, 71 may be carried at or along the sides 54, 55 of the movable neckring sections 20 a,b, and may be biased toward one another.

For example, and with reference to FIG. 6, the transmissions 70, 71 maybe biased via tension springs 72, 73 carried by the body, so as to biasthe neck ring sections 20 a,b to a closed position. The springs 72, 73may be carried in the through bores 66, 67 (FIG. 5) of the carrier body48, and may be coupled to the transmissions 70, 71 by pins 77, forexample, extension spring anchor pins as illustrated, or in any othersuitable manner by any other suitable elements. The transmissions 70, 71may be plate-like members as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 6, and 7, or may bebars, brackets, rods, plates, or of any other suitable configuration.With respect to FIG. 6, the transmissions 70, 71 may extend past theends 52, 53 of the carrier 46 to facilitate engagement by the materialhandler actuators 24 (FIG. 1A). Also, the carrier assembly 14 mayinclude guides 74, 75 carried by the carrier body 48 between the sides54, 55, for example, through the through bores 68, 69 (FIG. 5) of thecarrier body 48. The guides 74, 75 may be fastened, or otherwisecoupled, to the transmissions 70, 71 to guide movement thereof withrespect to one another. Also, the guides 74, 75 may be solid guideshafts, sets of nested guide shafts, guide rails, or any other suitableguide configuration. In another embodiment, the guides 74, 75 may beportions of actuators built into the assembly 14 to replace orsupplement the actuators 24 for opening and closing the assembly 14.Such actuators may be electromechanical, hydraulic, or pneumaticactuators, and may be powered and controlled in any suitable manner viaany suitable power and control sources via any suitable connectionsthereto.

With reference to FIG. 7, the carrier assembly 14 may include springs 76positioned between the carrier 46 and the neck ring assembly 12 tocenter the neck ring assembly 12 with respect to the carrier assembly 14along the lateral and longitudinal axes B and C. More specifically, thesprings 76 may be positioned between internal sides 78 of the carrierbody 48 and the ends 41 of the neck ring guide 18 to center the neckring assembly 12 with respect to the carrier assembly 14 along thelongitudinal axis C. The sides 78 may be longitudinally inboard surfacesof the restraints 58, 59. Even more particularly, the indentations 42,44 in the neck ring guide 18 may correspond to portions of the springs76 to facilitate centering of the neck ring guide 18 as the neck ringsections 20 a,b open and close. For example, the springs 76 may includebent sections 76 a in contact with the corresponding indentations 42,and base portions 76 b,c in contact with corresponding portions of thecarrier body internal sides 78.

The springs 76 may facilitate use of desirable no-swab moldingoperations and may prevent or reduce damage to sealing surfaces. Thesprings 76 may tend to center the guide 18, i.e., prevent the guide 18from being pulled in one direction or the other by the neck ringsections 20 a,b when they are opened to release a container beingmolded. Accordingly, such centering can help prevent a guide plateinsert from pulling on or hitting a finish of the container as thecontainer is being released. Also, such centering of the guide 18 canmake it easier to close the neck ring sections 20 a,b.

With reference to FIG. 8, the neck ring sections 20 a,b have axiallyopposite section ends 80, 81, and the neck ring guide 18 has the axiallyopposite ends 41, 43 that project beyond the section ends 80, 81 alongthe longitudinal axis C. The guide ends 41, 43 may be trapped betweencorresponding portions of the carrier 46 with spaces therebetween toallow the neck ring assembly 12 to float with respect to the carrierassembly 14 along the vertical axis A. For example, the neck ringassembly 12 may float on the order of 1/32 to 1/16 of an inch to allowfor cavity-to-cavity alignment differences between molds in multi-gobforming operations. More specifically, the guide ends 41, 43 may betrapped between the vertical restraints 60, 61 of the carrier 46 and thebase surface 56 of the carrier 46. Even more particularly, the guideends 41, 43 may be trapped between the vertical restraints 60, 61 of thecarrier 46 and the shoulders 62, 63 of the carrier 46. Likewise, theguide ends 41, 43 are spaced apart from corresponding portions of thecarrier 46, to allow the neck ring assembly 12 to float with respect tothe carrier assembly 14 along the longitudinal axis C. Morespecifically, the guide ends 41, 43 may be trapped between thelongitudinal restraints 58, 59 of the carrier body 48. Finally, thecarrier ends 52, 53 may carry system locators 82 for interfacing withthe material handler locators 22. For example, in one embodiment, thesystem locators 82 may be carried in the locator pockets 64 (FIG. 5) ofthe carrier body 48 or in any other suitable manner, and may befastened, press fit, adhered, welded, or otherwise coupled thereto inany other suitable manner. In other embodiments, the locators 82 may beintegral portions of the pockets 64.

With reference again to FIG. 1A, the system locators 82 may be conicalto allow float between the system 10 and the locators 22 of the materialhandler 16. For example, the system locators 82 may include conicalbushings or internal cones and the material handler locators 22 mayinclude corresponding conical pins or external cones for insertion intothe internal cones, or vice versa. In one example, the material handlerlocators 22 may fully couple to the system locators 82 for rigidcoupling, for example, during transfer from station to station. Morespecifically, the material handler locators 22 may be engaged to thesystem locators 82 to a full engagement depth. In another example, thematerial handler locators 22 may partially couple to the system locators82 for floatable coupling, for example, during blank molding and/or blowmolding. More specifically, the locators 22 may engage to the locators82, or may be retracted from the full engagement depth, to a partialengagement depth. In any case, the system locators 82 may serve ascommon handling locations that allow for various material handler 16and/or station misalignments. Such common handling locations and/or themultiaxial float of the system 10 and/or of the interface between thesystem 10 and the material handler 16 allow the material handler 16 tomaintain its coupling to the system 10, or to reacquire the system 10,during blank molding, blow molding, or the like. Accordingly, once astation cycle is complete, the material handler 16 can begin moving thesystem 10 to a downstream station without having to wait for a stationto fully complete its cycle, for instance, a complete withdrawal of aplunger or blowhead assembly.

FIG. 9 shows another illustrative embodiment of a neck ring system 110.This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiments of FIGS.1A-8 and like numerals among the embodiments generally designate like orcorresponding elements throughout the several views of the drawingfigures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments areincorporated into one another, and description of subject matter commonto the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

The system 110 includes a common carrier assembly 114 carrying multiple,or a plurality of, neck ring assemblies 112 between ends 152, 153.Although the illustrated embodiment shows three neck ring assemblies112, the common carrier assembly 114 may carry two, four, or any othersuitable quantity of the neck ring assemblies 112. The neck ringassemblies 112 may be substantially similar if not the same as the neckring assembly 12 of FIG. 1A. Likewise, the assembly 114 may include acarrier body 148 that may be substantially similar to the carrier body48 of FIG. 1A, except for the length of the body 148. Here, the body 148includes intermediate or connecting portions 151 and the fact thatmultiple neck ring assemblies 112 are accommodated. The carrier assembly114 also includes transmissions 170, 171 movably carried at the sides ofthe carrier body 148 to transmit actuation, for example, from actuatorsof a material handler (not shown), to the neck ring assemblies 112.

FIGS. 10-14 show another illustrative embodiment of a neck ring system210. This embodiment is similar in many respects to the embodiments ofFIGS. 1A-9 and like numerals among the embodiments generally designatelike or corresponding elements throughout the several views of thedrawing figures. Accordingly, the descriptions of the embodiments areincorporated into one another, and description of subject matter commonto the embodiments generally may not be repeated here.

In this embodiment, a carrier 246 with a carrier body 248 divided alongthe longitudinal axis C to include carrier body sections 248 a,b thatcorrespond to neck ring sections 220 a,b of a neck ring 220 and that aremovable toward and away from one another along the lateral axis B.Movement of the sections 248 a,b may be guided by guides 274, 275 thatmay extend through corresponding bores of the sections 248 a,b. Theguides 274, 275 may have ends fastened to one side 255 of one of thesections 248 b, as illustrated, or may be otherwise coupled to one orboth of the sections 248 a,b in any other suitable manner. Closingmotion of the sections 248 a,b may be provided by tension springs 272,273 that may extend through corresponding bores of the sections 248 a,b.The tension springs 272, 273 may be coupled to the sections 248 a,b viapins 277 (e.g., roll pins) extending transversely through thecorresponding spring bores, as illustrated, or may be coupled to thesections 248 a,b in any other suitable manner. The carrier body sections248 a,b also may include spaced apart material handling locators 282 tofacilitate location and opening actuation by a material handler (notshown) that includes locators that both locate the system 210 andactuate the system 210 to its open position.

Accordingly, with reference to FIG. 12, the locators 282 may bedisplaced in a direction away from one another along the lateral axis Bby a corresponding material handler (not shown). In turn, transmissions(270, FIG. 11), 271 pull the corresponding sides 280, 281 of the neckring sections 220 a, 220 b so as to open the neck ring 220. Of course,the springs 272, 273 pull closed the body sections 248 a,b, which, inturn, pull closed the neck ring 220. In this embodiment, thetransmissions 270, 271 need not extend past the ends 252, 253 of thecarrier assembly 214.

With respect to FIGS. 10-14, in the illustrated example, thetransmissions 270, 271 may be lost motion transmissions to provide floatbetween the neck ring sections 22 a,b and the carrier 246, and mayinclude brackets 283 coupled to the sides 254, 255 of the sections 248a,b, pins 284 coupled between the brackets 283 and sides 280, 281 of theneck ring sections 220 a,b, and springs 286 (FIG. 12) disposed betweeninterior surfaces of the brackets 283 and the pins 284. The brackets 283may be bars, plates, rods, or any other suitable brackets. The pins 284may be pressed, threaded, or the like, into corresponding holes in theneck ring section sides 280, 281. The springs 286 may be leaf springsand may be generally rectangular, as illustrated, or of any othersuitable shape.

With respect to FIGS. 13 and 14, the brackets 283 may include curvedinterior surfaces corresponding to the leaf springs 286, and reliefs 288extending axially through the brackets 283 to provide clearance for thepins 284 and allow limited movement of the neck ring sections 220 b (220a, FIG. 12) with respect to the body sections 248 b (248 a, FIG. 12).For example, in the closed position of the system 210, there areclearances between the pins 284 and closed ends of the reliefs 288 toallow the neck ring sections 220 b (220 a, FIG. 12) to float. Thereliefs 288 may be open ended slots, as illustrated, or any othersuitable reliefs. As shown in FIG. 14, during system 210 opening, theleaf springs 286 urge the pins 284 against the carrier body sections 248b (248 a, FIG. 12), and the opening of the carrier body sections 248 b(248 a, FIG. 12) pulls open the neck ring sections 220 b (220 a, FIG.12).

A process of forming glassware may use one or more of the previouslydisclosed systems 10, 110, 210, or any other suitable neck ring system.The process includes acquiring a neck ring system with at least onematerial handler, transferring the neck ring system to a blank moldstation, and blank molding a glass gob into glassware having a neckfinish formed by the neck ring system. Between the transferring andblank molding steps, the process also may include partially retractinglocators of the material handler along a longitudinal axis to allow theentire system to float relative to the material handler during blankmolding. The process also may include transferring the glassware carriedby the neck ring system to a blow mold station, and blow molding theglassware carried by the neck ring system. Between the transferring andblow molding steps, the process again may include partially retractinglocators of the material handler along the longitudinal axis to allowthe entire system to float relative to the material handler during blowmolding. The process further may include transferring the glasswarecarried by the neck ring system to a ware handler, and opening the neckring system to release the glassware from the neck ring system withoutreleasing the at least one material handler from the neck ring system.The glassware is carried by the neck ring system through the entireglassware forming process from initial engagement of a glass gob withthe system at a blank molding station to disengagement with glassware ata ware handler.

In other embodiments, the process also may include releasing the neckring system from the at least one material handler to a return conveyorafter the system opening step. Subsequently, the process may includeconveying the neck ring system to a location proximate the blank moldstation. For example, the conveying step may include allowing the systemto flow passively by gravity down a chute or other conveyor, or toactively flow via a powered conveyor, or to be conveyed by a robot, pickand place apparatus, or any other suitable conveyor or material handlingapparatus. In one embodiment, the process begins at a blank moldstation, ends at a ware handler, and simply may be repeated. In anotherembodiment, the process instead may include inspecting the system,releasing the system to a maintenance station or other offline locationif the system needs maintenance, and replacing the system with areplacement system, which may be sent toward or to the blank moldstation. Accordingly, the process may facilitate swapping out neck ringson the fly, while a production line is running, instead of having toshut down the production line to swap out neck rings. Likewise, theprocess may facilitate rapid and safe changeover from one type of neckring to another.

In yet other embodiments of the process, one more of the aforementionedsteps may be carried out with the at least one material handler coupledto the neck ring system. Also, the glassware may be carried by the neckring system through one or more intermediate stations between the blankand blow molding steps and/or between the blow molding and systemopening steps. Such intermediate stations may include cooling stations,heating stations, inspection stations, or any other suitable stations.Furthermore, multiple articles of the glassware are carried by the neckring system, which may be the system 110 of FIG. 9, or any othersuitable neck ring system.

There thus has been disclosed a neck ring system and a relatedmanufacturing process that fully satisfy one or more of the objects andaims previously set forth. The disclosure has been presented inconjunction with several illustrative embodiments, and additionalmodifications and variations have been discussed. Other modificationsand variations readily will suggest themselves to persons of ordinaryskill in the art in view of the foregoing discussion. For example, thesubject matter of each of the embodiments is hereby incorporated byreference into each of the other embodiments, for expedience. Thedisclosure is intended to embrace all such modifications and variationsas fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.

1. A glassware-forming neck ring system that includes: a neck ringassembly including: a neck ring guide having a first forming aperturetherethrough around a vertical axis, and a neck ring divided along alongitudinal axis into neck ring sections carried by the neck ring guideand movable toward and away from one another along the neck ring guidealong a lateral axis; and a carrier assembly carrying the neck ringassembly and including: a carrier having a body with a second formingaperture therethrough, longitudinally opposite ends, laterally oppositesides between the ends, and a channel extending between the sides,restricting movement of the neck ring assembly along the vertical andlongitudinal axes, and permitting movement of the neck ring assemblyalong the lateral axis.
 2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein theneck ring sections have axially opposite section ends, and the neck ringguide has axially opposite guide ends that project beyond the sectionends and are trapped between corresponding portions of the carrier withspaces therebetween to allow the neck ring assembly to float withrespect to the carrier assembly along the vertical axis.
 3. The systemset forth in claim 1 wherein the neck ring guide includes ends spacedapart from corresponding portions of the carrier to allow the neck ringassembly to float with respect to the carrier assembly along thelongitudinal axis.
 4. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein thecarrier assembly includes springs positioned between the carrier and theneck ring assembly to center the neck ring assembly with respect to thecarrier assembly along the longitudinal axis.
 5. The system set forth inclaim 1 wherein the carrier assembly includes springs positioned betweeninternal sides of the carrier body and external sides of the neck ringguide to center the neck ring assembly with respect to the carrierassembly along the lateral and longitudinal axes.
 6. The system setforth in claim 5 wherein the external sides include indentationscorresponding to portions of the springs to facilitate centering of theneck ring guide as the neck ring sections open and close.
 7. The systemset forth in claim 1 wherein the carrier assembly includes transmissionsmovably carried at the sides of the carrier body, coupled to sides ofthe movable neck ring sections, and biased toward one another so as tobias the neck ring sections to a closed position.
 8. The system setforth in claim 7 wherein the carrier assembly includes guides carried bythe body between the sides and coupled to at least one of thetransmissions to guide movement thereof with respect to one another. 9.The system set forth in claim 8 wherein the transmissions extend pastthe ends of the carrier to facilitate engagement by material handleractuators.
 10. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the carrierassembly includes tension springs carried by the body, and transmissionsmovably carried at the sides of the carrier body, coupled to sides ofthe movable neck ring sections, and coupled to one another by thetension springs so as to bias the neck ring sections to a closedposition.
 11. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the carrier endscarry material handling locators.
 12. The system set forth in claim 10wherein the material handling locators are conical to allow floatbetween the system and a material handler.
 13. The system set forth inclaim 1 wherein the carrier body is divided along the longitudinal axisto include carrier body sections corresponding to the neck ring sectionsand being movable toward and away from one another along the lateralaxis.
 14. The system set forth in claim 13 wherein the carrier bodysections include spaced apart material handling locators to facilitatelocation and opening actuation by a material handler.
 15. The system setforth in claim 1 wherein the carrier assembly includes lost motiontransmissions movably carried at the sides of the carrier body.
 16. Thesystem set forth in claim 15 wherein the transmission include bracketscoupled to the sides of the neck ring sections, pins coupled between thebrackets and the neck ring sections, and springs disposed between thebrackets and the pins.
 17. The system set forth in claim 16 wherein thebrackets have reliefs to accept the pins therein with clearance, thepins are fixed to the neck ring sections, and the springs are leafsprings.